Now when a controverfy was actually on foot, concerning the principles and characters of the primitive Fathers; and a quæftion moved among Divines, whether they were the most favorable to the Popish or to the Proteftant cause, nothing could come out more appofite to the purpose, or more effectual towards the decifion of it, than a performance of this kind; fetting forth by a deduction of facts and instances, what were the genuin doctrines and practices of thofe antient Fathers, during the four first centuries of the Chriftian Church. This book therefore I would recommend to the attention of the reader: For this will inable him to judge, of the real merit of the Introductory Difcourfe, which has been attacked and decried by feveral writers, and efpecially by these two, with whom I am now engaged.

The Author of thefe Catechifms, appears to be a man of fenfe and learning; warmly perfuaded of the truth and importance of what he delivers; and delivering it with much piety and gravity, and with more candor, than we commonly obferve in writers of his zeal and principles. The plan also of Christianity, which he has propofed to us, feems to be a fair and juft representation of the difcipline of the primitive Church, or of fuch a part at least, as he thinks fit to recommend to the practice of the prefent age. And if we grant him his main principle,

are the

principle, that unwritten tradition, as it is exemplified by the univerfal practice of the ancient Fathers and Churches, is of Apoftolic Origin, we must grant likewise, that all the rites and doctrines, which he has deduced from it, effential parts of the Chriftian religion, and of equal obligation with the Gospel itself. Yet on the whole, this learned, candid, and pious performance will be found, upon examination, to confirm every thing, that Dr. Middleton has any where faid, concerning the danger of adopting the discipline of those primitive ages, as a pattern or rule of duty to Proteftants.

His scheme in general is this: that true religion confifts, in believing and practising every thing, which God has revealed to us, either by bis written word or unwritten tradition; both which are known to be God's word by the evidence of the Catholic Church [1]. He declares tradition to be, that facred depofitum of doctrine and practice, which was delivered by Chrift to the Apoftles; by the Apoftles to the first Bishops; and by them, to their fuccceffors and Priests, of the univerfal Church, from age to age [2]. That all points of doctrine and difcipline, which were anciently and univerfally received by Chriftians, without any known beginning, have always been looked upon as Apoftolic traditions: that this confentient practice of the Catholic Church, is the test, by which true traditions are diftinguished from falfe [3], that these [2] 142. [3] 152. traditions

[1] P. 151.

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traditions may be called the common law of the Church; and the decrees of councils, it's ftatute law and that no Church can be rightly conftituted, which does not obferve them, or has any laws contradictory to them [1].

He defines the Church to be, the Society of all the faithful, who profefs to ferve God, according to that true religion, which God himself taught, and which they received from their fore-fathers, and have faithfully preserved without alteration: that the marks of the true Church are four; it is one, boly, Catholic, and Apoftolic; preferving the doctrine of the Apostles, by a continued fucceffion of Paftors, derived originally from them [2]. Which fucceffion we know to have

[1] P. 191, 192. [2] 161, 162.

These are the fame marks of the true Church, which the Papists have always alledged against the Protestants, as being found in their Church, and not in any Proteftant Church. Thus in a short treatise on this very fubject, published by an able Popish writer, in the beginning of Q. Elizabeth's reign, and when the fettlement of religion was under the deliberation of the parliament, the author concludes his argument in these words: "To be short, the "Church of Proteftants is

been uninterrupted, from the times of the Apostles down to the prefent [1]: that if it should ever once fail, it would be impoffible to renew it, without the miraculous interpofition of Chrift himself: for if the whole Chriftian world should unite their fuffrages together, they could not give any authority, to offer the facrifice of the Eucharift, or to perform any other part of the paftoral office in the Church, it being a power which Chrift has referved to himself [2].

That this universal Church, as it is now militant on earth, is made up of all the particular faithful Churches, of each of which the Bishop is the vifible head. That a particular faithful Church confifts of a rightful Bishop, with his Clergy and laity united to him, profeffing the true faith, without the addition of falfe doctrine, and practifing the neceffary Chriftian worship, without corruption. Hence flows the neceffity of living and dying in the communion of the Church, out of which falvation is not ordinarily to be had. For we cannot be united to Chrift, without communicating with the holy Catholic Church, and the onely means of communicating with the Catholic Church, is, by being members of a particular faithful Church [3].

"the most part, being able" lief, faying, I believe the "to fhew their pedigree, even Holy Catholic Church.' "to the Apoftles, without See Strype's Annals of Q. E"any interruption; that liz. Append. p. 36. Church, I fay, is the onely [1] P. 151. true Church, whereof we [2] 282. "make mention in our Be[3] 162.

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To this general view of his primary and fundamental principles, I fhall now add a fummary account of the chief articles of that' pure and primitive Christianity, which he has built upon them.

To begin then with the facraments. In the office of Baptifm, he prefcribes, as neceffary to the due administration of it, all the fame ceremonies, which are now actually practised by the Romish Church, though with fome little alteration, or the addition rather of more foppery and fuperftition, than is to be found even in the Popifh ritual. The perfon, to be baptifed, muft in the first place be exorcifed by the Priest, by blowing thrice upon his face, figning him with the fign of the Cross, and pronouncing a certain form of authoritative words, commanding the Devil to depart out of him. He next makes a folemn renunciation of the Devil; and a vow of perpetual obedience to Chrift: in which renunciation, he must turn his face to the Weft, as being oppofite to the region of light, and reprefenting the Prince of darknefs, whom he renounces: but in making his vow to Chrift, he muft turn again to the Eaft, where Paradife was planted, which is now again laid open to him: then he must be anointed on the bead and fhoulders with holy oil,

confecrated for

that purpose by the Bishop, to inable him to wrestle the more fuccefsfully with the Devil: then he is to be plunged three times under water;

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